No. 3 in Returning Home
Cyrus II of Persia was known for his leniency toward religious beliefs of the peoples forming his empire. The Cyrus Cylinder in the British Museum in London gives us insight into his way of thinking.
“May all the gods whom I settled in their sacred centers ask daily…that my days be long and may they intercede for my welfare.” 1
Cyrus’ mode of operation was to appease the gods of the lands he ruled in order to seek their blessing by returning the properties of these gods and their people to the land. 2
The decree of Cyrus the Great to the children of Israel included the invitation to return to Jerusalem:
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2-4, ESV).
The call to build the temple was open to all Israelites, but it was not a mandatory command to go to Jerusalem. Cyrus made provision for those who wanted to rebuild. Beyond the gifts that were given to aid them, the returning Hebrews were to be assisted by their neighbors with the funds, tools, and livestock they needed to carry out the work. Cyrus opened a door for them with this decree, and he made it feasible for those who longed to go home to have financial relief before they began their journey. Can you see similarity between this invitation and the invitation we receive to become part of Jehovah’s great city today? (Hebrews 12:22-23) God provides an invitation to us to come into His presence, having set up a freewill offering to cover the massive cost. He does not force anyone to accept.
There were many who accepted Cyrus’ invitation and prepared for the journey.
Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered (Ezra 1:5-6, ESV).
The area around Jerusalem was the territory of Judah and Benjamin, which explains why the heads of these two tribes were most eager to rebuild. The priests and the Levites were also zealous to go, both to provide the specifications to build the temple and to reinstate the governmental system of the Hebrews, as commanded in the law of Moses. God had designed Israel’s government with the priesthood and its order as the central hub, with God presiding as their King. The King’s throne was located inside the temple — in the holy of holies — on Jerusalem’s mountain.
Long before this, when Israel had been dissatisfied with God as their king and yearned for a physical king, God had granted them an earthly dynasty of kingship that threw them into a government system that wrecked their way of life. He’d made His disapproval clear, but allowed them to see for themselves and experience the devastating results. One of the effects of this earthly kingship was the legacy of Jeroboam, the king who set up new worship centers in Bethel and Dan to keep Northern Israel from journeying into Southern Israel to worship at God’s true temple in Jerusalem. It seems Cyrus’ offer did not stir the patriarchs’ hearts of the ten other tribes; they had not worshiped in Jerusalem for many generations. It was not home to them. And, yet, there were some Ezra says “whose spirit God had stirred to go up.”
The twelve tribes were all God’s people. Some of them no longer saw themselves as sojourners waiting for God to call them home. They had left the temple at Jerusalem too far behind to remember their beginnings. Others did not go at the first invitation but would later answer the call and work to God’s purpose.
In the 21st Century, God’s invitation is offered through His one and only Son, Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9). His temple is the Church, His people (2 Corinthians 6:16). Yet, the legacy remains in which generations have worshiped God in institutions created by men. Like Jeroboam, they have established unauthorized worship, leaving many souls confused about where God’s temple truly resides. Some have no knowledge of the home of the soul and do not seek it. Some will not accept His invitation at first but will come to Him later in life. In all this, God’s purpose will be carried out through His people. We are His hands and feet to bring His invitation and to build up His house in this time (Romans 10:14-15).